With departure of O'Brien as city manager, a shake-up in Worcester government

Thursday

Nov 21, 2013 at 6:00 AMNov 21, 2013 at 10:29 AM

By Nick Kotsopoulos, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER — There is a changing of the guard going on at City Hall, the likes of which have not been seen at any one time during the 60 years the city has functioned under the council-manager form of government.

City Manager Michael V. O'Brien's announcement Wednesday that he is going to resign on Jan. 5 to take a job in the private sector is just the latest in a series a key changes in Worcester government that have been taking place since September, with more to come between now and early January.

Add to that the fact that three new people will be joining the City Council on Jan. 2, replacing three members who have a combined total of 18 years experience on the council.

In fact, the past two municipal elections have produced six new members on the City Council - three from 2011 election and three from the recent election. That is more than a 50 percent turnover in its membership and it has been years since there has been anything comparable to that.

"I can't remember any other time where we've had this kind of change in such a short period of time," said City Clerk David J. Rushford, a City Hall veteran of more than 30 years, and who has been the city's chief record keeper since 1998.

"This is really something," he added. "It's one thing to have a change in the city manager's position, but when you add that to some of the other key people who will be leaving or who have already left, as well the three new people who will be joining the council, that kind of change is unprecedented."

The first of the key changes in the city administration came in September when Joel J. Fontane, director of the city's Division of Planning and Regulatory Services, left to become director of community development in Highland Park, Ill.

His departure came as a surprise, and is noteworthy because he is credited by many with resurrecting the city's planning efforts and playing a major role in shaping a vision for Worcester's future.

Mr. O'Brien has since named Luba Zhaurova as interim director, but it is not clear whether she will eventually be made permanent director or whether the position will be advertised.

Meanwhile, two other key changes will be taking place in the coming months when Robert L. Moylan Jr., commissioner of public works and parks, and City Auditor James A. DelSignore retire.

Mr. Moylan will be retiring at the end of this year after serving the past 20 years as Worcester's public works chief, while Mr. DelSignore will be retiring in early January after serving as city auditor since 1991.

Deputy DPW Commissioner Paul Moosey will be succeeding Mr. Moylan as commissioner, while Deputy City Auditor Robert V. Stearns, who was hired earlier this year, is expected to move up to the auditor's job when Mr. DelSignore retires.

"We are definitely going to be losing some key people, starting with the city manager," said Councilor-at-Large Frederick C. Rushton. "These are major changes. Our challenge on the City Council will be addressing who is going to succeed Mike O'Brien as city manager."

That process in itself could trigger even more change at City Hall because some of those being mentioned as potential interim or permanent successors are already at City Hall.

If any one of them is tapped for the city manager's job, be it either on an interim or permanent basis, it could trigger other changes to fill their positions.

Mr. O'Brien, meanwhile, believes there are people in his administration who are more than qualified to succeed him.

"There is amazing talent within my administration that can easily rise to the occasion and take the helm in an interim capacity," Mr. O'Brien said. "These same individuals could serve in a permanent capacity.

"I will be more than willing to offer my opinions privately if asked by the mayor or councilors," he added. "I feel strongly that I am leaving at a good time in our city's history - where we have hit a positive stride, that leaders in all positions are aligned to advance the cause of our community as a whole, and that the city government is in strong financial and operational strength."